Used car buyers can use their tax refunds to get a great deal at local auto auction

The busiest time of the year for used automobile dealers is expected to hit the middle of this month and will continue through March as the Internal Revenue Services begins to issue out refunds to millions of Americans. An auction set for March 1 in Shreveport is expected to draw people from around the area with hopes of using their income tax money to buy a used vehicle at auction prices.

The Lawler Auction Facility will host an auto and equipment auction on Saturday, March 1, beginning at 10 a.m., where patrons can bid on vehicles that have been consigned to the auction.

Unlike most auto auctions in the area, Lawler Auction Company does not require bidders to have a dealer’s license in order to bid, according to Lawler Auctions Project Manager David Doiron.

“If you’re interested in bidding on a vehicle, you just need to bring your driver’s license and some cash,” said Doiron.

According to Doiron, the auction company expects dozens of vehicles with expected average selling price ranges between $2,000 to $5,000.

“Of course, we don’t set the price,” explained Doiron. “The bidders bid what they want to bid, and the one willing to pay the most gets the vehicle.”

Lawler Auctions held a large auto and equipment auction this past Saturday and auctioned off about 185 vehicles, according to Melissa Smith, a registration clerk for Lawler Auctions.

“We had 406 registered bidders participating in the auction,” she said. “ The vehicles up for auction come from a variety of government agencies, including the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office and other agencies. Some are drug seizure vehicles while others are retired patrol cars or are simply consigned to the auction by individuals, car dealers or even finance companies.

Individuals can also choose to sell their own cars at the auction, according to auctioneer Danny Lawler.

“In
order to consign a vehicle to our auction, we simply need the car and
the title to the vehicle,” said Lawler, “and the title has to be in the
name of who is selling it at the auction.”

Lawler
Auctions has already begun accepting vehicles for the March auction.
Once a vehicle arrives at the facility, it is photographed, given a lot
number, entered into the Lawler Auctions computer system, and then it is
uploaded to their Web site each evening where prospective buyers can
check out what has been consigned to the auction each night.

So how much does it cost to sell your car or truck at the auction?

Lawler
Auctions gets a commission from the seller and a buyer’s premium. The
seller’s commission is typically 10 percent of the selling cost for
vehicles selling over $1,000. The auction company also charges the buyer
a 10 percent buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer at the end of
the auction. There are no hidden fees, and all advertising costs,
handling fees, notary public fees, etc. are included in the commission.
Therefore, if a car sells for $3,000 at a Saturday auction, the buyer
gets a check on Tuesday after the auction for $2,700.

Buyers
are required to pay for all of their winning bids before the buyers
leave the auction site in the form of cash, certified funds or with a
credit card. Buyers using a credit card to pay with are charged an
additional 3 percent charge; therefore, the cash method is the best way
to pay.

Vehicles can be inspected the day before the auction from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information on buying or selling cars at The Lawler Auction Facility, click on www.lawlerauction.com or call (318) 929- 7003. The Lawler Auction Facility is located north of Shreveport at 7781 Highway 1 North, Shreveport, La.